Safety razor



A g- 1952 F. M. TOMLINSON SAFETY RAZOR Filed Oct. 2.- 1947 IN V EN TOR. E4? M TODfL/Na'anf,

Patented Aug. 19, 1 952 UNl'TED STATES' PATENT oFFlcs f SAFETY RAZOR V Fay M; Tomlinson, Lakewood, Ohio 2 Application October 2, 1947, Ser'ialNo. -7 77 ,49 7 I The present invention relates to a holder for flexible blades, commonly referred to as a safety razor. Broadly, the object of the invention is to provide ablade holder of such character thata suitable blade can'be installed thereinwith maximum ease, whereafter a smooth and non-irritatingshave can be obtained. A further object of the invention is to produce a holder having a minimum of moving parts and having no parts which must be separated to install or remove a blade. Stillfurther objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

I have found thata narrow blade flexed rather heavily about an axis extending longitudinally of the blade, is more satisfactory in action than any other type of removable blade This is primarily for the reason that the iiexure: results in a more satisfactory position of the blade angularly with respect to the surface being shavedwhile the narrow-mess of, the blade makes possible a relativelynarrow holder, which facilitates shaving in the regions closely adjacent the nose, ears, or abnormal protuberances. It is my opinion that a double-ed d de wi e vei m re e t a will a single-edged blade,;since corrosion and oxidation destroy blade sharpness more rapidly than thebladecanbe dulled by repeated contacts with hair.

Therefore I have shown; and shall describe in detail, a holder adapted to cooperate with a single-edged blade, but itis to be understood that thejprinciple of my invention may be applicable to holders adapted to cooperate with doubleedged blades.

' To the accomplishment of the above. and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated. in the accompanying drawin'gs, attention being calIed to the facthowever, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claimsis not violated.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a holderconstructedin I blade-adaptedfor use in my holder;

10 Claims. (01. 30-58) Referring more particularlyto the drawings, it will be seen that I have illustrated a holder body, indicated generally by the referencenumeral l0, and comprising a shank; H and aohoe-type head l2 whose outer end is inturned as at l:2'. The head [2 extents transversely ofgthe shank! lj, projecting in both directions therefrom, and, is formed to provide an outwardly presented surface l3 curvedabout an axis extending transversely-with respect to the shank l l. Preferably, the rigidity of the shank is increased by the provision of an offset, longitudinally extending rib M. A handle l5, which may be formed of any suitable material, though I prefer to use a mould eel-plastic, is suitably secured to the rear end of theshankll.

At spaced points in the head, and traversing the line of juncture between the head and shank, I displace sections of the body metal, as at Hi, to form aligned retaining holders for a journal pin l!- which has a press fit in said displaced sections and projects somewhat beyond the opposite ends of the head 12; A clamp member, indicated generally by the reference numeral [8, is provided at its-oppositeends with parallel ears I9, l9, perforated for journal mountingupon the projecti-ng ends of the pin H}- A- lip 20, formed on said clamp member l8 and extending from end to end thereof, projects away from the pin I 1 in the direction of projection of the head [2, andat least the terminal portion of said" lip is curved upon a radius substantially corresponding to the radius of curvature of the surface I31 The hinge mounting of the clamp member I8 permits the lip 20 vto be swung toward and away from the surface. [3

of the head [2, and into clamping engagement with a blade 22 supported upon said surface. When the lip!!! is in such clamping; engagement, its outer" edge Zl' projects s'omewhat beyond the corresponding. edge of the surface [3, while the cutting edge 23 of the blade 22 projects still farther in the sam'e direction. J V V Intermediate its ends, the clamping member I8 is provided with a U-shaped bulge 24 for increasing thestifiness of said member; and in line with said bulge, the clamping memberis formed with a finger 25 projecting awayirorn the pin. [7" substantially in the directionfo l projection oi the body shank H. In registry with said finger, the shank l I" is: formed with a perforation 26 therethrough; and it will be "clear"; from a consideration of Figs. 3 and 5 that said perforation-is provided. to" permit the passage therethrough oi the finger 25, thereby increasing'the'degreeof angu lar movement through whichitheclamping member 18 can be turned in an opening direction to move the lip 20 away from the head I2.

An actuating slide, indicated generally by the reference numeral 21, is associated with the body Ill, being provided, near one end, with a collar 28 embracing the shank II in the manner most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Near its opposite end, and in transverse registry with the finger 25, the slide is provided with a platform 29, sharpened at its forward end 30 and providing an inclined cam surface 3!, flaring away from the shank l l as it retreats from such forward end 39. The later dimension of the slide is such as to bridge the perforation 26; and the sharpened L edge 3!! permits the slide to force its way beneath the finger 25 so that, as the slide 21 is moved toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 2 and ,3, the, finger 25 will be forced to ride up the cam surface 3!. Preferably, the slidev is provided, intermediate its ends, with a bulge 32 acting as a thumb button to facilitate manipulation of said slide in either direction by the thumb of the user's hand in which the handle is grasped.

At each of its opposite ends, the head i2 carries a tongue or bracket 33, in each of which is mounted a journal pin 34, said pins cooperating to support a roller 35, mounted thereon for free rotation about its axis which coincides with the common axis of the pins 34. The parts are so proportioned-and designed that the generally cylindrical surface of the roller 35 is tangent to a continuation of the surface It of the head I2. The roller 35 acts as a guard for the edge 23 of the blade 22 but, since it rolls over the surface being shaved, instead of sliding thereover, it introduces substantially no resistance to movement of the razor over that surface, and produces no friction against the skin. I

I have found the specific form of roller illustrated to be preferable toany other form' of roller tested. As shown, the roller is provided with a large number of closely spaced, axially separated grooves 36 having concave bottoms, and the surfaces 3'! intervening between said grooves lie in the surface of a common cylinder.

In Fig. 6, I have shown what I consider to bean optimum form of blade 22. The cutting edge 23 of said blade is somewhat shorter than the main body 38 thereof, and said cutting edge has a length substantially equal to the overall length of the head IZ. Thus, when the blade is installed in the holder, the opposite ends 39, 39 of the body 38 will project slightly beyond the respective ends of the head [2 and clamping memher [8. This makes it possible to hold the blade, between the thumb and one finger of one hand, in engagement with the projections 39, 39, while actuating the slide '32 to engage the finger 25 to swing the lip 28 into clamping engagement with said blade. The angle of inclination of the cam surface 31 is such as to prevent reverse actuation of the slide 21 by pressure exerted against said surface by the finger 25, so that the slide 2'! acts not only-to move the lip into clamping engagement with the blade, but also to hold it in such clamping relation.

It will be seen that I have provided a holder which is light in weight, which has a remarkably,

shallow head height, which is without parts which need to be detached in normal operation, and which incorporates a quickly operated bladeclamping device. The grooved guard roll rolls softly over the surface, and the shallow head, with its short radius curvature, permits'the cutting edge of the blade to be stroked at the correct shaving angle with the face on areas where a razor with a straight blade or with a deep head must be used in scraper fashion. There are no loose parts to unscrew and to be accidentally dropped while cleaning the razor. There are no slots which are likely to become fouled with the fatty residuals from shaving creams or soap lathers. No tricky manipulations are required in installing or removing the blade. The holder is made up of a minimum number of parts, all of which are designed for rapid and economical production.

Obviously, the entire implement will be light in weight and can be readily balanced for proper "feel in use. I Because the clamping member 3 is swingable' through a substantial are about its journal" pin l l, the entire assembly may be readi-ly cleaned.

I claim as my invention:

1. A blade holder comprising a body including a shank and a transverse head at one end of said shank presenting a surface curved about an axis extending longitudinally of said head, a clamp hingedly mounted on said body for swinging movement about an axis parallelwith said first-- named axis and located substantially at the juncture between said shank and said head, said clamp having a portion movable toward and away from said curved surface as said clamp swings about its hinge mounting and having another portion overhanging said sha'nk, and an element slidably mounted on said body for movement longitudinally of said shank toward and away from said head, said element providing a cam surface enterable between said shank and said lastmentioned clamp portion'and cooperable therewith to swing said'iirst-named clam-p portion toward said curved surface.

2. The blade holder of claim 1 including a guard roller and means carried bysaid' body and supporting said roller for free rotation about an axis parallel with said hinge axis, spaced beyond the free edge of said head, and located between the otherend of-said shank and ,a. plane normal to said shank and including said hinge axis, the peripheral surface of said rollerbeing provided with a plurality of separate, axially-spaced, peripheral grooves, each lying in a plane normal to the axis of saidroller. Y K c 3. A blade holder comprising a body including a shank and a transverse head providing an elongated surface curved in a direction transverse to its length and adapted to support a flexible blade, and means hingedly mounted on said bodyupon an axis parallel with said surface and located substantially at the juncture between said shank and said head, said means being swingable toward and away from said surface, and being cooperable with a blade supported on said surface .to hold said blade intimately againsti'said surface, said blade holder including a guardroller and means carried by said body and supporting, said roller for free rotation about an axisperpendicular to said shank, spaced beyond the free-edgecf said head, and located between a plane normal to said shank and including said hinge axis, and the end of said shank remote from said head, theperipheral surface oil saidroller ,beingprovidedwlth a plurality of separate, axially-spaced, peripheral grooves, each lying in a plane normalto the axis of said roller, 1.

4. A blade holder comprising a body providing a shank and a transversehead presenting a surface facing away from'said shahk'fand curved about an external axis 'transverseto said shank, trunnion means atonnnsite .endspr said head adjacent the juncture of aid surface with aid shank, a clamp journa-lled on said trunnion means; and having a lip projecting in one direction from said trunnion means and movable into and out of clampin association with said surface, said-lip being cooperable with a blade supported a in said suriacetohold said blade intima y in co tact withsa dsurface, said;.,c'lamn f herrhavin a'flngernroi citing inanotherdircct n fr m 'sa trunnion..;me ns a d intoiasseciation with-said shank and. a. sl de m untedcnrsaid shankfor mov m nt -.longitudinally ,.of.-; said shank towar and away from said trunnion means, said slide being enterable between said shank and said finger, as said slide moves toward said trunnion means, to swing said clamp and move said lip toward said curved surface.

5. A blade holder comprising a body providing a shank and a transverse head presenting a surface facing away from said shank and curved about an external axis transverse to said shank, trunnion means at opposite ends of said head adjacent the juncture of said surface with said shank, a clamp journalled on said trunnion means and having a lip projecting in one direction from said trunnion means and movable into and out of clamping association with said surface, said lip being cooperable with a blade supported against said surface to hold said blade intimately in contact with said surface, said clamp further having a finger projecting in another direction from said trunnion means and into association with said shank, and a slide mounted on said shank for movement longitudinally of said shank toward and away from said trunnion means, said slide being co-operable with said finger, as said slide moves toward said trunnion means, to move said lip toward said curved surface, and said shank being provided with an opening therein to accommodate said finger when said slide is retracted.

6. A blade holder comprising a body providing a shank and a transverse head presenting a surface facing away from said shank and curved about an external axis transverse to aid shank, trunnion means at opposite ends of said head adjacent the juncture of said surface with said shank, a clamp journalled on said trunnion means and having a lip projecting in one direc tion from said trunnion means and movable into and out of clamping association with said surface, said lip being cooperable with a blade supported against said surface to hold said blade intimately in contact with said surface, said clamp further having a finger projecting in another direction from said trunnion means and into association with said shank, and a slide mounted on said shank for movement longitudinally of said shank toward and away from said trunnion means, said slide being cooperable with said finger, as said slide moves toward said trunnion means, to move said lip toward said curved surf-ace, and said slide being provided with as harpened edge facing said finger and moving in contact with that surface.

of said shank which faces said finger, and being further provided with a cam surface cooperatively engageable with said finger and flaring away from said shank surface as it retreats from said edge.

'7. A blade holder comprising a body providing a shank and a transverse head presenting a surface facing away from said shank and curved about an external axis transverse to said shank, trunnion means at opposite ends of said head adiacei t, th z-iunc eiei said; suriacewhh said i urnalledzl'oni:saiditmnnion I -rings; lininroiectingxin (2116:. .direc: em-Isai zftrunnionmeans andmovableinto nd-outed. clamping association with said surface, said t p. bein cooperablewithazbiade sunperted sail. tssaidsurfaceto.holdsaidbladeintimately in, efintae with, said; surface said clamp further having, a. finger proiecting in. another: direction iromtsaid trunnion nieansiand into association with said shank, and a slide .mountedorr said shank fonmovement longitudinally of said shank toward and away from said trunnion means, said slide being cooperable with said finger, as said slide moves toward said trunnion means, to move said lip toward said curved surface, and said slide being provided with a portion enterable between said finger and that surface of said shank facing said finger, said portion providing an inclined plane cam surface flaring away from said shank as it recedes from that end of said slide nearest said finger.

8. A blade holder comprising a body providing a shank and a transverse head presenting a. surface facing away from said shank and curved about an external axis transverse to said shank. trunnion means at opposite ends of said head adjacent the juncture of said surface with said shank, a clamp jcurnalled on said trunnion means and having a lip projecting in one direction from said trunnion means and movable into and out of clamping association with said surface, said lip being cooperabie with a blade supported against said surface to hold said blade intimately in contact with said surface, said clamp further having a finger projecting in another direction from said trunnion means and into association with said shank, and a slide mounted on said shank for movement longitudinally of said shank toward and away from said trunnion means, said slide being cooperable with said finger, as said slide moves toward said trunnion means, to move said lip toward said curved surface, and said shank being provided with an opening therein, said slide bridging said opening as it is advanced into cooperative relation with said finger, said opening accommodating said finger when said slide is retracted.

-9. The combination with a thin, flexible blade having a single sharpened edge and having an overall length slightly greater than the length of said edge, of a holder therefor comprising a head presenting a surface whose length is substantially equal to the length of said edge and curved in a direction transverse to its length, a clamp hingedly associated with said head and having a lip swingable into and out of clamping association with said blade and cooperable therewith to flex said blade substantially into conformity with the curvature of said surface, and means for holdin said clamp in clamping engagement with said blade, said last-named means comprising an inclined plane cam carried by said holder and movable relative thereto to move said clamp into clamping engagement with said blade.

10. The combination with a thin, flexible blade having a single sharpened edge and having an overall length slightly greater than the length of said edge, of a holder therefor comprising a head presenting a surface whose length is substantially equal to the length of said edge and curved in a direction transverse to its length, a clamp hingedly associated with said head and having a lip swingable into and out of clamping association with said blade and cooperabie therewith to flex said blede substantially into conformity with the curvature of said surface, means for 'h'olding said clamp in clamping engagement with said blade, and a blade guardroller carried by saidvhead and mounted thereon axially paral- 5 lel to said sharpened edge and journalled for Iree rotation be prevenbitmctionail drag stretching of the users Y skin between said roller and said sharpened-edge,- the peripheral surface of said roller being substantially tangent to a. continue 10 tion of said clamp lip. v I l 1 FAY M. TOMLINSON.

REFERENfiES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? v UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date 

